Comments on: Recycling is not created equal across this nation.

By: Curbside Recycling – Local Variation Gets Smaller « Eco-Footprint Solutions

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:38:35 +0000

[...] although recycling is not equal across this nation, it appears that in my local area, things are starting to [...]

By: ecotrashsolutions

ecotrashsolutions — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:10:55 +0000

Antenna,
Good points and positive thinking. I agree with your estimations. This current lull in the economic situation is exactly that in my opinion, a lull and things will take off again for recycling.
Chad M. Wall

By: Antenna Wilde

Antenna Wilde — Tue, 26 May 2009 05:08:01 +0000

Recycling percentages will increase as raw material prices increase, meaning, the value of cans/plastics/etc. in your bin will increase, become more profitable, and thereby foster the free market system. Dumps are already being tapped for methane gas, and I think the overall value of post-consumer products will overtake the cost of manufacturing them from scratch… at least for a time, before technology finds an even more efficient way, for example, buying things like bottled water will become moot when water purification systems at home, in the office and the general public areas become standard. Take TV dinners as another example. If we start making the trays biodegradable, like they do with wheat-based *pseudo-plastic* forks and knives, the landfills will become increasingly irrelevant.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 11 May 2009 23:48:24 +0000

Theresa – Montgomery County does indeed do well with solid waste and recycling programs. This of course comes at a cost (in our property taxes) and the mandates that are imposed upon multi family dwellings, commercial buildings and businesses. But they do seem to do it right, and one of my County Govt colleagues does a bang up job the web site, http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/solidwaste

By: ecotrashsolutions

ecotrashsolutions — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:30:53 +0000

Mark. An excellent idea for me at least. I will take myself to task to do exactly that.

And I will also look at Montgomery County’s program. What part of the U.S?
Chad M. Wall

By: Theresa

Theresa — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:00:50 +0000

Mark, Montgomery County is one of a few communities that can claim to have outstanding recycling programs. Our past NE Recycling Manager and current PSA director both attest to that as residents. And the county won a Leadership Recycling Award a few years ago for their participation in rechargeable battery recycling.

The point of the initial discussion is that recycling options is not uniform across the country. There is the operational side of the industry and then the perception of the average consumer, the residents doing the recycling. Supply and demand.

Some communities find a way to do it better than others. You’re lucky to live in one of the communities that offer great programs to your residents. Wish it were uniform and reproducible across the country.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:55:51 +0000

Sounds like a few of you have never visited a MRF, or “murf” (materials recycling facility). I recommend it highly – there you will see what it takes to separate out the different streams of materials and the technologies (high to low) as well as the costs these operations incur to yield salable commodities, not to mention the ups/downs of said commodities markets. I recommend to you very highly the self-education you can obtain by speaking and visiting with the other organizations in the chain from virgin raw materials – package manufacturing – package filling – MSW and recycling collection/sortation – commodities markets (Al, PET, paper, steel, glass). The recycling “value chain” does not operate in total isolation from the rest of the economy and it’s a great place to learn practical of economics as opposed to all the theoretical stuff.

One of the issues with bottle deposits which have in the past been opposed by retailers is that the retailers bear the administrative costs of collection, refunds and storage of the containers (if aluminum or PET they may need to buy/lease a baler). Another matter retailers have objected to is the fate of unclaimed deposits – usually the unclaimed deposits go into the state’s escheat fund.

By: ecotrashsolutions

ecotrashsolutions — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:49:02 +0000

Kerry
Good article. I especially liked the line:
“Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job, while recycling the same amount creates 36 jobs, according to the MPCA website.”

If we were ever going to subsidize an industry to help it become a part of sourcing for materials, this is it.
Chad M. Wall

By: Theresa

Theresa — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:33:08 +0000

Kerry, Good article. There was also one in Recycling Resources (a little more technical and trade-oriented) that explained all the reclaimed commodities that are getting hit and by how much.

The average consumer believes that it must be cheaper to use reclaimed materials to make new products since the material is already there. Little do they realize that recycling processes costs money to operate and implement (not to mention transportation, equipment, sorting, manpower, and then the process to produce something new)

Sometimes reclaiming materials cost more than natural resources. Sometimes there is little or nothing that can be reused. It’s not cost effective to recycle it and there is no reuse market.

When a recycling program can offset the cost of collections, then recycling programs can be sustainable. Take cardboard. The price of it as a reclaimed commodity has gone down so that in Cobb County, GA they have chosen to temporary compost it until they can again afford to have it processed for recycling. They still accept it from residents and have found a suitable channel for proper disposal rather than landfill.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:32:00 +0000

I was stunned to know about the 11 states as well, since it seems as a logical solution. However, I know that most states co-mingle their recycling collection and separate it at the plants themselves. Technology may have play a part of why this is so. I know that the plants here have a machine that “weed” out the plastics and papers from the heavier materials. Also, as we progress during these current times, I found an interesting article from back in February that may explain it a little further. http://www.mndaily.com/2009/02/04/economy-hits-recycling-industry-0